by Claude Morales

Created on: March 17, 2010

An addiction is not and cannot be a disease, in the pure sense of what a disease is. An addiction is a complete attraction to a product (be it a drug or alcohol), whatever your reasons, to the point that you cannot live without it. At this stage we are concerned with addictions to harmful product, like alcohol or drugs even though you can become addicted to chocolate or hamburgers. I recall the story of this british gentleman who had decided to commit suicide eating carrots only – which he did over 30 years, the result being a liver cancer. 

So an addiction is a voluntary decision to take a product on a regular basis. Whether or not you get used to it to such a point that you could become dependent is an other issue but it does not mean by any means that you are “ill”, namely that you have caught a disease.

So, to me at least, a disease is an alteration of your health through natural elements beyond your control: for example, a cold, influenza, a sore-throat that will give fever can be named a disease. These are of course simple cases that can be cured quite promptly but there exist more important diseases ( cancer, tuberculosis etc and so many..) 

As a matter of fact you cannot decide whether you can catch a disease. Should you go out short-sleeved in winter time it is obvious that you could catch a cold. Else, everyone would not chase for a disease. The important disease quoted above are by no means something we are eager to catch. 

This is therefore where I can maker a noticeable difference between an addiction to drugs and alcohol on the one hand and a disease on the other. 

It is your choice to drink alcohol or take drugs. I believe no one would force you to take them. Think of some religions that forbid alcohol.

Now, should you get used to them to the point that you cannot live without remains your own concern. 

Your choice for alcohol or drugs is a deliberate choice made by you and alcohol and drugs are not imposed by you by virtue of Nature as a proper disease would be.

I do understand however that certain drug-addicts wish to get out of their drama and be cured so as to stop drinking or taking drugs and get back to normal life. The word "disease" which is the one to be used on these occasions seems to me inadequate anyway.

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